Here we are with our latest update on what beers you can find on tap this week at the Black Heart. We’ve got another diverse and delicious collection with exceptional west London brewers Weird Beard, Sussex’s Burning Sky, Danish masters To Øl , mad Swedish scientists Beerbliotek, and our favourites, north London’s Beavertown.
First, we've got Weird Beard's Metallica-themed brown ale, Master of Nuggets. This beast pours dark brown to dark black, with a slender beige head. It's a big, malty beer, bitter but sweet, with aromas of hazelnuts and raspberry. The taste is full of rich chocolate, earthy herbs, and coffee notes, making for a roasty, lightly spiced, unique and enjoyable ale. 7%.
The next offering from Weird Beard is something of a contemporary classic, with a nostalgic tint. The Five O’Clock Shadow is Weird Beard's "Desperate Dan" IPA, a complex, intense, bitter, but well-balanced beer. The taste is malty with notes of biscuit, and boasts tropical juice flavours, with citrus and pine hops. It's aromatic but fresh, with prominent herb and hop notes. The tasty finish is dry and bitter. 7.3%.
Then we have Burning Sky’s Devil’s Rest IPA. This full-strength IPA is a nod to "the best" that the brewer found whilst travelling the US. The result is deceptively drinkable and full of flavour. The pour is a burnt orange colour, and its aroma is hoppy and fruity. Bitter orange marmalade and toasty notes ring through big hop hits of juice and bitterness. The taste is fruity but piney and dry, with sweet malts. With a medium-full body and a balanced, lightly bitter finish, this one is rather drinkable considering its 7% abv.
Up next, we've got To Øl's Don’t Gose Towards The Light! This gose pours a dark reddish-purple colour, and is medium bodies. Its aroma is yeasty with sweet fruity berry notes. The taste is quite tangy and tarty with a long, bitter finish, and lots of cherry and blueberry flavours. 3.5%
Our next beer, Beerbliotek's Nah… Just Had Some Ice Cream, continues where To Øl's gose left off. This cheeky, light-bodied Berliner Weisse pours a hazy purple-pink. Its aroma is sour and tart, with notes of blueberry yogurt. The taste is sweet, fruity, and tarty, accompanying an intense sour, dry finish. 3.5%.
Finally, we round things up with Beavertown's Normcore Baltic Porter. Inspired by "a passion for a good Porter", Normcore has had nothing added, nor been barrel aged, or seen any complicating of the brewing process - Beavertown have simply released this beer as is, without compromise. Accordingly, this is a rich, intense, and complex beer. Medium-full bodied, Normcore boasts notes of chocolate, fresh coffee, and a slight smokiness, giving way to walnut and fudge flavours. The bitterness balances out the sweetness of the malt. The finish is long, dry and roasty, lightly bitter and robust. 7.8%.
That’s it for this week’s beers, check back next week for another update. And as ever, keep your eyes peeled for updates of beers and bands on our Instagram.